Cartridge



T. THOMPSON.

CARTRIDGE. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 6, 1920.

ale/44AM Patented Sept. 14, 1920.

j UNITED ,STATES JOHN T. THOMPSON, NEWPORT, KENTucKY,AssIeNon oroNE-HAIIF'TQ THOMAS E.

- a RYAN, or NEW YORK, N. Y.

PATENT OFFICE.

GARTRID GE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN T. THoMrsoN, a

citizenof the United States, and resident of Newport, in the county ofCampbell and State of Kentucky, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Cartridges, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to' an improved caseless cartridge and moreparticularlyto new and improved methods-of forming and attaching thebullet, of forming the propellent member, and of seating and attachingthe primer. In the use ofcartridges provided with metallic cases andmetallic primers there isalways the danger of a jam, particularly inmachine guns and other rapid fire guns. This may be caused in a varietyof ways, all dependent, however, on some portion of the cartridge case.For example, instead of-being properly ejected, the empty cartridge icase may fall'into the path of the bolt and cause a jam in the closingmovement of the bolt.

If the metallic primer i's not firmly held on its seat it may beblownfbackward and get into the gun mechanism 'a's fthe, breechisopened. If there are any'slight irregularities 011 the surface of'thepowderchamber the pressure exerted by the explosion of the propellingcharge upon the soft;-

metal case may be sufficient to force portions of the case into theirregularities and it-will extract only with difliculty.

In high powered rifles, it is necessary to provide a powder chamber ofgreater diameter than the bore of the rifle and this necessitates a moreor-less abrupt shoulder where the two meet. There-"is,- therefore,

a component of the explosive pressure which j acts against thisslfoulder and hence in a direction opposite to the movement ofthecartridge case in extraction. At times this pressure causes thecartridge case to rupture adjacent the rear end of this shoulderand' theportion broken off remains in the gun when the other portion isextracted. This causes a jam when the next cartridge is inserted. V j

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 14, 1920.]

Application filed January 6, 1920. Serial No. 349,732.

Almost without exception all jams are caused by the metallic cartridgecase or some other metallic part thereof such as the primer and henceits elimination will greatly increase certainty of fire.

A caseless cartridge also requiresno extractor or ejector andconsequently there will be a saving in the number of parts, the

' weight, and the cost of manufacture of guns usedin automatic ormachine guns since it is necessary that such cases be very carefullysized and shaped to prevent jams.

They are made of expensive material, usually a copper alloy, and requirea number ofoperations in their manufacture. All of {this expense isobviated in my new and improved caseless cartridge.

, "It is an object of my invention to provide a caseless cartridge, witha metalless primer,

of such nature that after firing no part of the cartridge remains in therifle.

It is a further object to provide a bullet of a new and improved formsuch that it is firmly attached to the propelling explosive beforefiring and is detached upon the burnin of the explosive.

t is also an object to provide a bullet car in means to rovide im rovedstability in flight. It is another object to provide; a. caselesscartridge with a primer formed entirely of combustible'material and anadditional object is to provide a car- 90.

tridge entirely non-metallic save for the bullet.;. In a specificembodiment it is an object of my invention to provide an improvedcaseless cartridge in which the propelling charge comprises a solidelement having the primer i may be cast onto the bullet.

seated in a cavity in this element, and the bullet attached to theelement by extending its metallic jacket at least part way along thepropelling element.

I have illustrated several specific embodiments of my invention in theaccompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section showing one form of my improvedcartridge.

Fig. 2 is a cross section of Fig. 1 on the line 22;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section showing a primer on its seat;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of another embodiment; V v

Fig. 5 is a cross section of Fig. 4 on the line 55;

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section of a different embodiment;

Fig. 7 is a side view of another form of my invention;

Fig. 8 is a cross section of Fig. 7 on the line 88;

Fig. 9 is a longitudinal section of still another form of my invention;

Fig. 10 is a view of the bullet used with my cartridge as it is when inthe bore of! the gun after firing;

Fig. 11 is a view of the bullet as it ap pears shortly after leaving thegun; and

Fig. 12 is a view of another type of bullet adapted to be used with mycaseless cartridge.

In Fig. 1 I have shown my improved cartridge as comprising a bullet B, apowder element P, anda primer K. The bullet as shown is composed of acore 12 of the usual lead alloy, and with a jacket 13 which may be madeof the cupro-nickel now in general use for such purposes. This jacketextends to the rear beyond the end of the core and is fastened to thepowder element by an inturned flange 14. This flange may be crimped intothe powder or the powder In this form I have shown the jacket asextending but a short distance onto the powder element, but obviouslythis distance may be varied at will in various types of cartridges. .Ifthe shoulder on the forward end of the powder element is very abrupt, itmay be found desirable to limit the jacket as shown in this figure.

The powder element is cylindrical in general outline with a reducedportion 15 ad jacent the bullet anda tubular primer and igniter seat 16on the rear end. The powder element also has a smaller tubular opening17 running longitudinally thereof with spaced radial openings 18intersecting it as shown in Fig. 2. There is a thin wrapper 19 aroundthe powder element. This wrapper may be made of paper or of any suitable, readily combustible or explosive material, and may be waterproofedto protect the powder element.

In theprimer seat 16 is the primer 20 comprising the cup 21, anvil 22,and fulminate or similar priming compound 23 as shown in detail in Fig.3. Next the primer is the thin combustible membrane 24 and beyond thisthe remainder of the primer cup is filled with a rapid burningexplosive, such as black powder in granular form, to form the igniter25. As shown in Fig. 1 the openings 17 and 18 are also filled withigniting means to facilitate the rapid and even combustion of thepropelling charge. The granules of the igniter are retained in theopenings by the wrapper 19.

In Fig. 4 I have shown a slightly different form of cartridge. Here theforward end of the powder member is on a less abrupt slope and thejacket 31 extends onto the cylindrical portion of the powder element andhas a. circumferential crimp 60 to hold it to the powder element. Thebullet shown here is an armor piercing one comprising a multiple core,the part 32 being formed of lead alloy and the part 33 'of steel. Thepowder element contains a primer seat 34 and' a conical igniter cavity35, with an inflammable membrane 36 therebetween and a similar membrane36 is located at the base of the igniter chamber. The body of the powderelement has a plurality of longitudinal passages 35 extending thereinfrom the igniter chamber, the location of the passages being shown inFig. 5. This form of powder-element is similar to the form now ingeneral use when powder in large cylindrical grains is used in ourordnance, and passages so spaced have been found to greatly facilitaterapidity and evenness of burning.

, In Fig. 6 I have shown my cartridge in a form adapted for use in gunstaking a cartridge substantially cylindrical and of the same diameter asthe bullet. The bullet is here shown with a jacket 37 turned into thepowder member at 38. The core 39 is shown as approximately stream linein contour or boat-tailed as such projectiles are commonly called. Thepowder member 40 is cylindrical with an integral flange 41 at its baseso as to fit the usual form of powder chamber. Ithas the primer seat 42and a longitudinal passage 43 connected therewith. As shown the ignitercharge extends through the whole passage 43. In a cylindrical cartridgethe flange 41 is desirable to insure seating at the proper point in thepowder chamber.

When the bullet is in flight the air pressure due to the speed of traveland the partial vacuum created thereby, together with the rotation ofthe bullet, will cause the relatively thin and flexible jacket to befolded in about the boat-tail of the core and f vention with its jacketextending into congive the bullet in general a stream line contour. Thiswill very considerably increase the velocity and range. Aboat-tailedprojectile for small arms used without the jacket asdescribed loses much, of its eflicienc'y due to the fact that the boattail has a tendency to direct the pressure of the propelling chargebetween the bullet and the bore of, the gun and there is consequentlyloss of pressure, with consequent loss of velocity and range. With smallarms the velocity is most important since on it depends the flatness ofthe trajectory and consequently; the depth of danger space.

With the jacketed bullet of the present intact with the walls of thebore back beside suflicient rapidity to give the requisite've=.

locity for rifle fire, it maybe found desirable in some instances to usethis type of c a rtridge. It is to be understood, however, that thehollow member is not only highly com bustible so that no residue is leftin ,the chamber, but preferably is explosive and vforms a substantialpart of the powder the boat-tail, the jacket causes substantiallyperfect obtu-ration and no pressure or ve locity is lost.

This particular form of bullet is, of

course, susceptible to use with any of the other forms of cartridgeshown.

y In Fig. 7 -I have shown a caseless cartridge comprising the powdermember 45, wrapper 19, and the jacketed bullet 46, the 'acket ofwhichextends over the shoulder 4 and I is crimped into the-powder memberat ,48.

, Fig. 1.

, skirt.

be a tendency for internal pressure exerted.

The boat tailed core extends to the dotted line 49 and I have indicatedin dotted lines inside the skirt to hold it against the shoulder so thatit would be ruptured approximately at the base of the shoulder. y

In Fig. 9 I have shown a cartridge having the form of bullet'B shown inFig. 1

.with the jacket 13 over a core 12, the jacket being inturned into thepowder member at .14., The powder member is very approximately of theform of the usual metallic cartridge case having the interior cavity 51surrounded by the walls 52 and the base 53 having a primer seat 54 witha vent 55 into the cavity-51. The base may have a groove 56 thereinso asto be fitted into the usual form of clip. As shown, aprimer K'is fittedinto the primer seat 54. The interior cavity is shown filled with theusual form of rifle 'powder.

Since many types of colloidal powder are so slow burning thata solidpiece the size I of a powder chamber-will not burn with charge.

In Fig. 10 I have shown a bullet such as is shown in Figs. 1, 4, 9 and12 as it will appear core extends to the dotted line 55, and the tail ofthe jacket is crimped down until it is cylindrical, in form. In Fig. 11the same bullet is shown shortly after leaving the while in the bore ofthe gun. The

muzzle. The tail of the jacket has become pressed together by the rushof the air and the partial vacuum formed in therear of the bullet andhas become twisted by the rotation of'the bullet 'due to the rifiing ofthe piece. It will be seen that the bullet approaches a stream lineform.

In Fig. 12 I have shown an incendiary or tracer bullet adapted for usewith my case; less cartridge, the bullet comprising a jacket 60, leadalloy core 61 and inflammable pellet 62.. While I have shown my improvedcartridge as comprising any one of a number of types of bullets, all ofthese bullets are characterized by having a portion of the jacketextending back a greater or less distance onto the powder element, andalways sufficiently so to insure a firm connection between the twoparts. Obviously any type of bullet may be used powder element shown.

with any type 0 f I have shown a number of types of powderelements butall are so constructed as to obviate the necessity for a metalliccasing'and all have a primer attached directly thereto. This rimer isalso made entirely of combustible or explo sive material.

'In certain cases 1n connection W11},

such

primers, it may be found desirable t vary the usual type of firing pinand give it a broader point and it may be necessary or desirableto-gprovide improved obturation between the bolt and powder chamber whenusing my caseless cartridges, but these variations form no part of mypresent invention and need not be further discussed herein.

While I have shown bodiments of my invention,.they are to be considerednot as limiting but as illustrative only, and I desire to cover myinvention certainpreferredem;

broadly within the scope of the appended claims.

, I claim:

1. In a caseless cartridge, a unitary propelling charge and a bulletcomprising a core and a acket, a portion of the jacket extendingexteriorly over the propelling charge, and a part thereof extendinginwardly behind a shoulder, on the propelling charge.

2. A cartridge for firearms comprising a body'of solid explosive, saidbody having a recess therein, and a primer mounted on and supported bysaid body within said recess.

3. A cartridge for firearms comprising a body of solid explosive, saidbody having a recess therein, and a metalle'ss combustible primermounted on said body Within said recess.

4. A cartridge comprising'a body of solid explosive and a bullet havinga portion extending exteriorly over said body, the end of said portionbeing embedded in said body to retain the parts in fixed relation.

5. A caseless cartridge comprising a body of solid explosive, and abullet having a core and a jacket, a portion of the jacket extendingexteriorly over said body and having its edge embedded therein to retainthe two members in fixed relation.

6. A cartridge comprising a body of solid explosive and a projectilesecured thereto, said body having a recess adapted to sup port a primer.

7 A cartridge comprising a body of solid 'explosive and a projectilesecured thereto,

said body having a primer seat and a communicating igniter cavitytherein.

8. In a caseless cartridge, a unitary propelling charge and a bullet,the propelling charge having an igniter cavity therein, portions of theigniter cavity extending to the circumferential surface of thepropelling i charge, and being closed by a combustible membrane.

9. In a caseless cartridge, a bullet and a body of solid explosivehaving an igniter cavity therein, the said cavity containing anexplosive more readily ignitible than the said solid explosive.

10. As an article of manufacture, a composite bullet comprising a coresubstantially stream line in form and a jacket therefor, said jacketbeing in intimate contact with the forward portion of said core andseparated from the rear portions thereof, said jacket being formed ofmaterial adapted to be forced against the core by the partial vacuumcreated by the flight of the bullet.

11. As an article of manufacture, a composite bullet comprising a coresubstantially stream line in form and a jacket therefor, said jacketbeing in intimate contact with the forward portion of said core andseparated from the rear portions thereof, said jacket adapted to act asan obturator during the passage of the bullet through the bore of a gun,and being formed of material adapted to be forced against the core bythe partial vacuum created by the flight of the bullet. 1

12. As an article of manufacture, a unitary propelling charge having aseat formed therein adapted to receive and support a primer.

13. As an article of manufacture, a unitary propelling charge having aprimer seat therein and an igniter cavity connecting With said primerseat.

141-. As an article of manufacture, a unitary propellent charge having aprimer seat and igniter cavity formed therein, portions of the ignitercavity extending to the circumferential surface of the propellent chargeand being closed by a combustible membrane. i 15. In a caselesscartridge, a propelling charge and a bullet, a portion of the bulletextending exteriorly of the propelling charge, and being adapted topermit explosive pressure to be applied to both the interior andexterior circumferential surfaces thereof.

16 In a caseless cartridge, a propelling charge and a jacketed bullet, aportion of the jacket extending exteriorly of the propellent charge,said portion having longitudinal grooves therein adapted to permitexplosive pressure to be applied both in- "teriorly and exteriorlythereof.

17. A cartridge of the type for use in a firing chamber having ashoulder at its forward end, comprising a propellent element and aprojectile secured together, the projectile having a shoulder adapted toseat against the shoulder of said firing chamber.

18. A cartridge of the type for use in a firing chamber having a taperedshoulder at its forward end, comprising a propellent element and aprojectile secured together, the projectile having a flaring skirtadapted to seat against the tapered shoulder of said firing chamber.

19. A cartridge of the type for use in a firing chamber having ashoulder at its forward end, comprising a propellent element and aprojectile having a flaring skirt adapted to seat against the taperedshoulder of said firing chamber, said skirt being anchored to saidelement.

20. A cartridge of the type for use in a firing chamber having a.shoulder at its forward end, comprising a solid propellent element and aprojectile secured together, the projectile having a shoulder adapted toseat against the shoulder of said firing chamber.

Signed by me at New York, N. Y., this 27th day of December, 1919.

JOHN T. THOMPSON.

